BODY image experts have slammed photo manipulation apps used by celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, arguing they promote a culture of “thinness” and create a breeding ground for body image disorders.

Slimming and photo retouching apps are growing frighteningly popular as social media users seek to present the best (and skinniest) versions of themselves online.

Reality TV star Kim Kardashian has come under fire for reportedly altering her photos to make herself look slimmer. According to Photoshop pros, Kardashian uses a photo manipulation app on many of the images she posts to Instagram.

One of the most popular slimming apps has more than 100 million users worldwide and promises to “slim (your) body in the easiest way”. Another app, advises users not to “wait for the perfect shot”, but use their app instead.

Look closely at the doorframe on the left. You’ll see it’s curved slightly, suggesting thSource:Instagram

Psychologist at Body Matters Australasia, Sarah McMahon, says Kardashian is normalising behaviour that can be damaging to young girls’ self esteem.

“It leaves everybody else thinking they have no chance at all at looking good,” said Ms McMahon, who runs a treatment clinic for those suffering from eating disorders and body image issues.

“The message it sends to people is that there’s always room for improvement and people can always be thinner.”

Posting altered photos to social media is a common habit among young people, Ms McMahon said.

“There are cases I’ve heard of people looking at their friends’ pictures on Facebook and they’ve inserted a thigh gap, when they don’t have one in real life, or they’ve cut and pasted their head onto a different body.”

Photoshop experts say they can tell when a picture has been manipulated using a slimming app because of the subtle distortion and curves in the background.

He explained that the curved doorframe in the picture was the giveaway.

“You can definitely see a gap at the same level as Kim’s chest. This would be caused by using a tool to expand her breasts.”

There also seems to be a more subtle distortion on the floor,” Peeje told Radar Online. “You might notice how it follows the same contortion as Kim’s waist and hips.”

In the first picture, it would appear that she has digitally pulled in her waistline.

We tested out one of these photo manipulation apps in the news.com.au office to see how it worked.

After. Featuring a very bendy pillar.Source:NewsComAu

Before.Source:NewsComAu

The app is scarily easy to use. I chose a photo from my iPhone camera and selected the “Beautify” option.

I then “Thinifed” my stomach and thighs, lightened the photo and enlarged my eyes. For a finishing touch, I used the “One-Click” function to make the photo look smoother.

The “Thinify” function distorted the whole image. The very straight pillar I’m standing in front of suddenly curved inward, along with the window frame behind me.

My feet look wider than my thighs. It’s a little strange.

I then tried manipulating some of my personal Instagram snaps.

After.Source:NewsComAu

Before.Source:NewsComAu

I only used the “Thinify” function on these photos. It makes the photos blurry, but if you stay away from backgrounds with straight lines, the effects aren’t too obvious.

After. Blurrier. Thinner.Source:NewsComAu

Before.Source:NewsComAu

I’ll admit — I liked the thinner version of myself. I even briefly contemplated uploading a photo of super-skinny me to Facebook.

I can see why Kardashian is a fan. If I had millions of people checking out my selfies, I’d sure want to put my best (manipulated) face forward.

Ms McMahon says young people are becoming obsessed with portraying themselves differently online to how they actually look in real life.

“They worry that if they present themselves as anything less than perfect then people aren’t going to like them,” she said.

Ms McMahon says she’s seen many cases where people can’t go to social events for fear they look so different from how they’ve portrayed themselves online.

“Socially, they aren’t participating in life at all. It’s all about how things look from the outside. There’s this divorce from reality.”

“It overtakes the essence of who they are as humans and provides a breeding ground for things like depression and anxiety and body image issues.”

She says it’s pushing young girls to become more reliant on external feedback for their self-worth. “There needs to be a backlash from consumers saying, ‘This isn’t OK and we want to embrace reality now’.”

If you or someone you know is seeking support, contact the Butterfly Foundation National Support Line on 1800 33 4673 or email support@thebutterflyfoundation.org.au.